4.46
THE TROOPS SHOULD BE PUT UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HONG KONG: AND
THE NUMBER OF THE TROOPS SHOULD BE KEPT TO THE
MINIMUM.
ALTHOUGH NOT MENTIONED IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO CONSCRIPTION WAS ALSO WIDELY DISCUSSED. THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO COMMENTED ON THE DRAFT
AGREEMENT WERE AGAINST CONSCRIPTION. IN THIS CONTEXT IT
WAS SUGGESTED THAT:
4.47
WERE :
THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT (THE VOLUNTEERS)
COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO A LOCAL MILITARY UNIT
WITH VOLUNTEERS IN LIEU OF CONSCRIPTION: AND
THE CHINESE SOLDIERS SERVING WITH THE BRITISH
FORCES IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE TRAINED TO REPLACE
THE GURKHAS BEFORE 1997.
OTHER POINTS MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS SECTION
THE CHINESE MILITARY FORCES MIGHT NOT BE
EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING THE INFLUX OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA BECAUSE OF THEIR CLOSE
ASSOCIATION WITH PEOPLE IN CHINA:
THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION
SHOULD CONTINUE ITS WORK AFTER 1997:
THE FUTURE OF GURKHAS NOW SERVING IN HONG KONG
SHOULD BE CLARIFIED:
THE FUTURE OF THE LOCALLY ENLISTED SOLDIERS AND
CIVILIAN STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE BRITISH
FORCES SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO: AND
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE RE-INTRODUCED.
SECTION XIII RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
4.48
THE MINORITY WHO OPPOSED THE DRAFT AGREEMENT
BECAUSE THEY OBJECTED TO THE REUNIFICATION OF HONG KONG
WITH THE COMMUNIST PRC EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE POSSIBILITY
THAT THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN CHINA WOULD NOT RESPECT
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS: BUT THE MAJORITY WHO
ACCEPTED THE DRAFT AGREEMENT FOUND THE PROVISIONS IN THIS
SECTION COMPREHENSIVE: WHILE THEY APPRECIATED THE
DIFFICULTY OF GIVING PRECISE DEFINITIONS OF THE VARIOUS
RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS ENUMERATED, THEY HOPED THAT THE BASIC
LAW WOULD PROVIDE GREATER CLARITY. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED
CONCENTRATED ON :
SECRET-39-
/THE